Throughout an individual's lifetime, an individual may be under the care of numerous healthcare providers. For example, an individual may be treated by a pediatrician during childhood, by a family practice doctor to maintain physical health, a dentist to maintain healthy teeth, an ophthalmologist to maintain healthy eyes, an orthopedist to correct bone fractures and other orthopedic problems, and visit various other healthcare providers. Further, the individual may have one or more surgeries, visit an emergency room, and have a variety of x-rays and other such lab treatments and/or tests.
Typically, upon the first visit to a healthcare provider, the individual or a guardian for the individual is given a form to enter the individual's personal health history. The personal health history typically includes data such as types and dates of surgeries, names and types of illnesses, medications, medical history of parents and grandparents, etc. After submitting the data in the form, the healthcare provider creates a medical record for the patient. The healthcare provider's medical record for the patient contains the personal health history entered on the form as well as a history of the patient's interaction with the healthcare provider.
Because each healthcare provider typically creates a separate medical record from other healthcare providers, the individual or their guardian is responsible for monitoring the individual's personal health history and ensuring that healthcare providers treating the patient are aware of changes in their personal health history affecting the healthcare of the individual.